Automatic stop for phonographs



R. J. PRETTIE.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24,1915.

Patented June 21, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- J. PRETTIE. AUTOMATIC STOP FOR FHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1915.

Patented June 21, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I] I, I I] I j/ R. J. PRETTIE. AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24,1915- 1,38 2,54=4. 1 Patented June 21, 1921. v I 3 $HEET$$HEET 3- UNITED STATES SPATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD JAMES PRETTIE, OF JrLWEAIOA, NEW" YORK, ASSIGNOR COMPANY, A CORPORATIGN OF CONNECTICUT.

TO THE A-EOLIAN AUTOMATIC STOPFOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Specification of Letters 1a-tent. Patented June 21, 192

' Application filed. March 24, 1915. Serial No. 16,6?3.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD J AMES PRET- TIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamaica, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an auto matic stop for phonographs and the like, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an understanding of the following description in connection with the drawings.

In the latter, Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of a phonograph embodying my stop, the record and turntable being partly broken away to show the mechanism of the stop; Fig. 2 is a similar view except that the parts are shown in tripped posltion result ing in throwing on the brake, whereas F 1g. 1 shows the parts in set position with the brake off and the turntable supposed to be rotating with the sound-box being fed across the face of the record. The remaining figures are enlarged detail views, -said Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 being vertical sectional views partly in elevation respectively on the section lines 33, M, 55 and 66 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the ar rows.

Iwill now describe the specific devices shown in the drawings. The phonograph illustrated happens to be of the usual under neath horn type with the horn concealed in the cabinet 1. 2 is the tone-arm pivotally supported in the top shelf 3 of the cabinet and carries the reproducer 4 which as usual may be fed across the face of the record by the contact of the stylus wlth the spiral.

groove in the record 5, supported on turntable 6, the latter in turn being supported on and rotated by the motor-spindle 7.

The particular illustrated embodiment of my stop mechanism is substantially concealed under the turntable and is supported on cabinet-shelf 3. It comprises brakemeans, a brake-latch, brake-setting means, and brake-latch releasing means adjustable to be operated at any point of play from the record, all shown self-contained in the sense that they are mounted on one and the same base-plate 8 secured by screws 9 to the shelf. It further comprises independent means which operates the above from the travel of the sound-box, said means consisting of an arm 10 secured to the vertical neck of the tone-arm (Figs. 1 and 5), the link 11, finger 12 pivoted at 13 i to a supporting foot and the operating 14, which latter is screwed to the shelf 3. swing of the tone-arm produces a magnified swing in the opposite direction of the free endof the finger 12.

Describingnow in detail the other referred to, self-contained part of the stop. th s comprises a brake-shoe 15 to engage the rim of the turntable supportedcn a horizonin, either direction 'tal outward extension 16 from one end of a horizontally disposed bell-crank 17 pivoted at 18 to the base-plate 8 and having at its other end a beveled latch-engaging projection 19.

20 is a latch pivoted at 21 to the base plate 8 and having abeveled latch-proiec tion 22 adapted to interlock, as shown in Fig. 1, with the projection 19 lever 17' to hold the brake-shoe in its oil or non-braking position. The latch 20 extends generally parallel with the middle portion of the brake-lever and there is a tension spiral spring 23 which connects the pivotal end of the latch with the shoe-end of the brake lever. The result is that the spring 23 does the double duty of pulling on the shoe to brake further rotation of the turntable as soon as the brake-lever is re leased from the latch 20 as shown in Fig. 2 and vice versa of pulling said latchinto its latching position shown in Fig' 1 when the finger 12 pushes the shoe outwardly out of The result is that a on the brakecontact with the rim of the turntable by brake-setting means as follows:

This consists of a long, endwise movable member 24 having one end pivotally connected at 25 to the shoe-end of the brakelever. The opposite end of this member is bent upwardly to form the upstanding pro jection 26 (compare Figs. 1 and 1). 27 is a link-connection between said member 2+1- and the base plate 8. From 'Fig. 1 it will be seen that the arrangement is such that the upstanding projection 26 is in the path of the extremity of the finger 12, so that if reproducer and tone-arm be carried to the right in Fig. 2, as a matter of fact toa position where the reproducer is off the record, the finger 12 will strike against said projection 26 and will push the member 2t 17 about its pivot 18 until it is'latche'dback V in its non-braking position shown in Fig.

1 and will so remain, with the turntable rotating, until the latch, 20 is released by means next to be described.

28 is a piece of round-wire (Figs. -1 and 3) having one end bent to form an upstanding'projection 29. This member28 is slidable endwise through a hole in astationary lug 30 on the base-plate 8. 31 is a collar on the member 28 between which and the lug 30 is a compression spring 32 which gives the member a normal tendency to move endwise toward the latch 20. The latch-end of the member 28 made or round-wire as aforesaid, is flattened to give a flat bottom 33 (Fig. 3) thereto which rests slidably on top of the latch 20 andgincidentally prevents the wire 28 from rotating-I in the described hole in the lug 30 andso keeps the projection 29always upright. This flattened end of the wire 28 extends through avertically elongated eye 34: (Fig. 6)'in a pin supported loosely for vertical adjustment in a hole through the latch20 and a slightly larger hole through the base-plate 8. The

head 35 of the pin rests on the flattened end or toe 36 of the finger lever 36 cen-' trally pivoted at 37 (Fig. 3) between lugs on the underside of the base-plate 8. 'This portion of the finger lever and related parts vp I is located in a hole or recess inthe shelf 3 (Fig. 3), whence the finger-end of the lever 36 projects and is provided with the button 38. 39 is a leaf-spring at oneend 39 secured to the latch 20' and'at the other end being arranged to bear down on thejpin-35 so that the member 28 is normally frictionally gripped and held stationarily' between the top of the eye 34 in the pin (see Fig. 6) and the top of the latch 20. To. keep the parts in proper relationship, this spring 39 has a perforation. into which projects a rcduced portion 35 (Fig. 6) from the pin 35.

.This gripping action due to the spring 39 is released by depressing the aforesaid button 38, because then the toe36 (Figs. 3 and r 6) lifts the pin 35 against the contrary action of the spring 39 and so releases the wire-member 28 fromthe grlp between the top of the eye 34 (Fig. 6) and the surface of the latch 20, whereupon the compression spring 32 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is free to assert itself, which it does by impelling said wire-member 28 endwise.

The operation of this latch-releasing part of the stop is as follows: Suppose the brake is off as in 1 with theturntable rotating. When the.sound-box has traveled sufiiciently far toward the center of the record for the end of the finger 12, swinging to the right in Fig. 1, to press against the projection 29 on the member 28, it will pull said member endwise and release the latch .20 from the brake-lever 17, whereupon the record start and continue to rotate.

spring 23 will pull thebrake-sho'e into contact with the turntable'andstop its rotation. Further, it will be noted that by depressing the button38, etc, the position of the aforeposition the sound-box so that the stylus is located on the part of the record at which the turntable is to be automatically stopped,

for example, at the end of the record as shown in Fig. 2.

The'o erator will then depress the button 38, whic will release the grip of the'latch'85 20 on the rod 28, -whereupon-'the spring 32 will impel-the rodendwise until its pro- 7 jection- 29 strikes against theoperating-finger .12. The operator will then release the button, which will result in the rod 28 being secured to the latch 20 with the projection 29 located in'just the right position'to be pressed by the operating finger when, in the subsequentplaying of the record, the soundbox stylus has reached the selectedstoppingosition on the record. Next, the operator will lift the sound-box and swingit and the tone-arm to the right, across the record. and somewhat beyond until the operating finger, bypressing against the projection 26 on the brake-setting member 24, has forced the brake-shoe into off position, where upon the latch 20 automatically latches it in said off position, and the. turntable and i The operator will then lower the sound-box stylus into contact with the record whichwill then play until the predetermined end-part of the record is reached. At this moment,

the end of the operating finger 12 will have swung to the right (Fig. 2) sufiiciently to press against the projection 29 and exert a pull on the latch 20, which, being withdrawn from its latching position, will release the brake-lever 17 so that the spring-' 23 pullsthe brake-shoe against the turntable and stops its rotation.

" n will be noted that latch 20 is slightly Wider .at 2O" than atr20 The purpose of this will appear from the following. The'120 projection 29 is positioned orv set as de-' scribed when the brake is on and therefore whenthe wider part 20 of the latch is hearing against thebrakelever due to the spring 23 which when unopposed keeps said parts normallyin contact. The projection 29 having been'positioned as aforesaid. the brake is of course operated into its off or latched back position. This means that the brake-lever now contacts with the narrower part 20 of the latch, which further means that the projection 29 is moved into a slightly different position from. that in which it was originally set as described from the selected, predetermined stopping groove on the record. And that slightly different position for the projection 29 is one that will be reachedby the operating finger 12 slightly sooner than it otherwisemay be omitted, and therecord started to rotate merely by swinging the tone-arm sutliciently far to the right as described. To stop it at any subsequent time, it is merely necessary either to swing the tone-arm fully over to the left until the finger l2 strikes the projection 29 and pulls on the rod 28 to unlatch and release the brake. Furthermore, the brake can be applied at any time during the playing of the record, by momentarily. depressing the button 38. This will result in the rod 28 adjusting itself end- 7 wise until its projection 29 strikes against the finger 12. After a few more turns of the record, the brake will be automatically applied, because during that slight interval the finger 12 will have traveled sufliciently to pull the rod, 28 to release the latch 20 from the brake-lever.

Of course, changes and modifications might be made in the above that are never-' theless within the spirit of this inventive disclosureand these I mean to cover by the following claims under the doctrine of equivalents. Further, certain means might be used without the remainder or in connection with equivalent means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a rotatable record support. a sound-box mounted to move across a record on said support, a member carrying a brake normally tending to move into braking engagement with said record support, a latch to cooperate with said member and to hold said brake ofi", a pair of opposed members. one having a variable frictional connection to said latch and the other connected to the brake-carrying.member, and a finger operatively connected to the movable sound-box and pivoted to swing to-and-fro in a ,plane beneathythe record supporting means,- said fingeracting during its move ment in one direction to trip the latch and cause the brake to; engage the record supporting means and acting during its movement in the opposite direction to set'the brake in its off position.

2. In combination, means for rotatably supporting a record, asound-box mounted to move across said record supporting means,

a brake-carrying member normally tending to move the brake into braking position relatively to the record supporting means, a latch for holding the brake in its ofit' position, a pair of opposed members located in substantially the same plane and below the record supporting means, one of said members being adjustably connected to said latch and having means acting to shift its position in one direction relatively to the latch and the other member being connected to the brake-carrying member, and a finger operatively connected to the movably mounted sound-box and reciprocable in a. plane beneath the record supporting means and between said opposed members, said finger acting during its movement in one direction upon one of said members to trip the latch and acting upon the other of said members during its movement in the opposite direction to set the brake in its on position.

In combination, means for rotatably supporting a record, a sound-box mounted to move across a record on said record sup porting means, a brake-carrying member normally tending to move the brake into braking position relatively to the record supporting means, a latch cooperative with the brake-carrying member to hold the brake in oil" position, a pair of opposed members, one havinga manual-releasable friction con nection with said latch and the other con nected to the brake-carrying member, said members having opposed rip-turned abutments, and a finger operatively connected to the sound-box to swing to and-fro betweenthe abutments of said members, said finger acting during its movement in one direction upon one of said members to dis engage the latch from the brake-carrying member, and acting during its movement in the opposlte d1rect1on upon'the other memher to set the brake in its oil position.

4:. In combination, means for rotatably supporting a record, a sound-box mounted to swing across a record on said support, a brakecarrying member normally tending to move the brake into braking position, a latch cooperative with the brake-carrying member to hold the brake in its off position, a pair of longitudinally movable members having opposed abutments, one of said members having means for variably connecting it to said latch and also meansfor shitting its positions relatively to the latch when said connecting means is released and the other 7 its off position.

member being connected to the brake-carrying member, and a finger operativel connected to the sound-box and'reciproca 1e between the opposed abutments of said longitudinally movable members, said finger'act ing during itsmovement in "one direction to actuate one of said members to disengage the latch from the brake-carrying member and acting during its'movement in the 0p posite direction to actuate the other of said members longitudinally to setthe brake in 5. In an automatic stop, the combination of a sound-box; means for operatively supporting it to travel acrossa record; a stop member normally tending to terminate the travel of the sound-box; a controlling memher for restraining said stop member and an operating device for said controlling member, comprising a swinging finger pivotally supported under the record, a link connection between said finger and the sound-box support to effect the swlnglng movement of the former during the travel of the sound born and means capable of being connected in different set relatlons with sald con-,

trolling member and controlled by said finger for tripping said controlling member to bring said stop member into play when the sound-box reaches a selected positionwith relation to the record;

6'. In an automatic stop, the combination of a sound-box;- means for operatively supporting it to travel across a record; a stop member operable to terminate the travel of the sound-box; and an operating device for said stop member, comprising a swinging finger pivotally supported'under the record, a connection between said finger and the sound-box support for swinging the former simultaneously with the soundsbox, during the movement of saidsound-box in either' direction across the record, and means including a variable set part controlled by said finger for bringing said stop member into 'play'when said sound-boxreaches a selected po sition with relation to the record. V

I. In an automatic stop, the combination of a sound-box; means for operatively supporting it to travel across a record; a stop member operable to terminate the travel of the sound-box; and anoperating device for said stop member, comprising a swinging finger eccentrically pivotedunder the record,-

a link connection between one end; of said finger and the sound-box support, whereby when the sound-box is moved in either di-' rection across the record the other end of said finger will be moved in the opposite direction through an'increased distance, and means capable of being set in difli'erent positions and controlled by the said other end of said finger for vbringing said stop member into play when said sound-box reaches a selected position with relation to the record.

into-its ofi or latched position.

8. In combination, an o eratively supported sound-box, means 7 or rotating ,ya i

record, a vbrake normally tending into braking position, a latch for'latching the brake in.

non-braking position, an operating part operatively connected to the sound-box and pivoted to swing to-and-fro' in a plane beneath the record rotating means, a latch-releasing part comprising an abutment on an endwise movable member normally in the path of said operating part, meanswhiclr tends to impel said member endwise to carry said abutment into contact with theoperating part, releasable locking means between said member and the latch, manual means for momentarilyreleasing said lock, an abutment on another endwise movablemember normallyin' the path of the operating part when moving in the opposite direction from that in which'as aforesaid it strikes the first named 'or latch-releasing' abutment, said other endwise movable member being operatively'related to the brake to operate it' 9-, In combination with the traveling reproducer of a phonograph, a part traveling with said reproducer, a partto be operated by the traveling part when it has reached any chosen position, an adjustable connecting member between the traveling part and said operated part, spring actuated locking means between the operated part and the connecting member and operative automatically to lock said operated part, manual means for temporarily releasing said looking means, and means for impelling the contraveling part.

'necting member, when released, toward the 10. In an automatic stop, the combination of an operatively-supported sound-box; record-rotating means; a brake normally tendingto assume a braking position; a latch for holding the brake in non-brakingposh tion, said latch being operative in a plane below the record rotating means; an operating part moving with the sound-box; an

[endwise movable, latch-releasing member engageable with. said rotating member; an

operating part connected to move'in unison with said traveling member; a spring-com trolledpart to bring the brake "into action;

and a spring actuated locking member for said spring-controlled part initially releasable to effect the initial setting of the springcontrolled part with relation to said operating part, and subsequently releasable to enable the operation of said spring-controlled part by said operating part.

12. In a brake mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel thereacross; of a brake engageable with the rotating member; an operating part connected to move in unison wit-h said traveling member; a controlling part for bringing the brake into action; and an automatically operative locking member for said controlling part initially releasable to effect the initial setting of the controlling part with relation to said operating part 'to be ultimately operated thereby when the traveling member reaches a predetermined position, and subsequently releasable at will to enable the substantially immediate operation of said controlling part by said operating part.

13. In a brake mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a memberadapted to travel thereacross; of a brake member engageable with said rotating member; an operating member connected to move in unison with 7 said traveling member; a spring impelled controlling part for bringing the brake into action; and an automatically operative locking member for said controlling part initially releasable to effect the initial setting of the controlling part with relation to said operating part, and subsequently releasable to enable the operative engagement of said controlling part by said operating part.

14. In a brake mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel thereacross; of a brake member engageable with said rotating mem ber; an operating member connected to move in unison with said traveling member; a controlling part for bringing the brake into action; a locking member for said control ling part, and a depressible releasing member for said locking member initially operable to effect the initial setting of the controlling part with relation to said operating part, and subsequently operable to enable the operative engagement of said controlling part by said operating part.

v 15. In a brake mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel thereacross of abrake member engageable with said rotating member; an operating member connected to move in unison with said traveling member; a controlling part for bringing the brake into action; a locking member for said controlling part and a depressible releasing member for said locking member mounted beneath id rota ing member and having one end projected beyond the samoand terminating in an operating port1on,sa1d releaslng member being initially operable to effect the initial setting of said controlling part with relation to said operating part, and subs-e quently operable .to enable the operative engagementrof said controlling part by said operating part.

16. In a brake mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel thereacross; of a brake engageable with the rotating member; a member for controlling the activit of said brake; a spring for actuating saic controlling member; an operating part connected to move in unison with said traveling member and adapted to operatively engage said controlling member; and a manually operated locking member normally holding said con trolling member against actuation, but releasable effect the automatic initial set-- ting of said controlling member by its spring with relation to said operating part.

17. In a brake mechanism the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel thereacross; of a brake engageable with the rotating member; a member for controlling the activity of said brake an operating part connected to move in unison with said traveling part and adapted to engage and operate said controlling member, said controlling member being adjustable for, different settings relatively to said operating part; and a manually releasable sprin actuated locking part normally holding said controlling member against change in its adjustment but releasable to permit the initial setting of said controlling member with relation to said operating part.

18. In a brake mechanism the combination, with a rotatable member and a member adapted to travel thereacross; of a brake engageable with the rotating member a member for controlling the activity of said brake disposed beneath said rotating member; an operating part disposed beneath said rotating part and connected to move in unison with said traveling part, said operating part adapted to engage and operate said controlling member; a locking member and a manually oper- 'ated releasing member for said locking member pivotally mounted beneath said rotating part and havingone end projecting beyond the same and terminating in an operating portion, said locking member normally holding said controlling member against operation but releasable to permit the initial setting of said controlling member with relation to said operating part.

19. In a brake'mechanism, the combination, with a rotatable member, and a member adapted to travel in either direction thereacross; of a brake tending to engage the rotating member; a horizontally arranged, operating part articulated to the traveling part to'move in unison with the same;1neans automatically actuatedby sald operating part, during the movement of the travellng member 1n one direction, for disengaging the brake, thereby to enable the movement of said rotating member; means for holding said brake in disengaged position during the movement of the traveling member in the other direction; and means also actuated by said operating part and capable of being set in different relations with said holding means for automatically releasing said holding means When. said traveling member reaches a selected point the movement-oi said traveling member in one direction, thereby to'enable the action of said rotating means; means for holding the brake in disengaged position during the movement of said traveling member in the other direction; means for automatically releasing said holding means when said traveling member has reached a predetermined point in its second-named movement; a

depressible finger "spring actuated friction lock for normally holding sald releasing means 111 different set relations with said holding means; and a key for. controlling said lock."-

21. In a'brake mechanism the combination, with a rotatable member, means tending to rotate the same; and a member adapted-totravelacross said rotating member in either direction; of a brake tending to engage the rotating member; means for disengaging said brake operated automatically by the movement of said traveling memberin one direction, thereby to enable the action of saidrotating means; means'ior" holdingvthe brakejin disengaged position during the movement of said, traveling member in the other direction; means operated automatically bythe second-named movement of said traveling memberfor releasing said holding means when said traveling member has reached a predetermined point in such movement; and depressible manually-operated means movably related to said releasing means for controlling the initial setting of the same, thereby to determine the position of such point.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 22dday of March,1915.- a r Y RICHARD J AMES PBETTIE. 

